1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to the field of systems for dispensing of fluids. In particular, to the field of fluid dispensing systems wherein a bagged fluid, such as water, is dispensed via a ribbed water spike.
2. Description of Related Art
Liquid storage vessels such as jugs or pitchers are essentially ubiquitous in society and have been around in a general form for centuries. A liquid storage vessel generally serves two purposes. It serves to contain a liquid so that the liquid does not spill, evaporate, or be soaked up by other objects from which it cannot easily be removed, and it serves as a way to dispense the liquid to users to drink, wash with, or otherwise utilize.
As technology has improved, the jug has become lighter, easier to use and store, and easier to handle and dispense from. At the same time, the general concept remains relatively unchanged. Most traditional vessels are shaped so the liquid is contained by gravity in a portion of the device. When the device is tilted or upended, the liquid is placed into contact with a hole which allows it to be dispensed to the user. While this is a universally used design, it is not always the best choice from a storage point of view.
These traditional liquid storage and transportation vessels are utilized in a number of different settings and circumstances. For example, in emergency situations caused by natural disasters, as well as in developing countries which lack a reliable potable water infrastructure, liquid storage and transportation vessels are utilized to provide and transport water to at risk populations. Outside of emergency situations, liquid storage and transportation vessels are also common technologies utilized by individuals numerous times over the course of a day. For example, in the modern household it is common for liquids to be stored in the refrigerator in order to have constant access to liquids at a cooled temperature; a temperature most individuals prefer for human consumption. As such, self-contained fluid dispensers are commonly used in the modern refrigerator or kitchen. Stand alone liquid storage vessels are also commonly found in today's modern society. In fact, state and federal regulations mandate that many workplace environments contain office water coolers. Yet another common use of liquid transportation and storage vessels is at athletic games or during other outdoor activities. These portable water coolers provide a communally accessible supply of water for individuals participating in these activities.
As noted previously, in the modern household, liquids to be consumed are most often stored in a refrigerator. This allows for the liquids to be cold which often provides improved taste characteristics as well as making the beverage more refreshing to consume and helping to preserve some beverages for a longer time. However, the design of most storage vessels is often wasteful when placed in a refrigerator and also does not always provide for as sanitary storage as would be desired.
To make such a vessel easy to pour from (upend), most vessels used currently are relatively narrow and tall. In order to store such vessels of liquid in the refrigerator so as to allow them to be dispensed cool, a user will generally have to have a large upright space available in the refrigerator. This storage space is often limited to a single shelf of the refrigerator (often the top shelf) which can make storing the jugs and using the jugs difficult. Further, to be able to pour from these vessels, they often have handles which stick outwards from them and increase the effective footprint of the vessel, therefore requiring more shelf space than is desirable.
To try and deal with this problem, many individuals now use various liquid dispensers in their refrigerator. These are devices designed to sit on a refrigerator shelf generally having a dispensing valve on the lower surface therefore, which hangs over a shelf in the refrigerator and allows for dispensing of fluid from the bottom of the device. These liquid dispensers have the advantage of allowing “squarer” storage of fluid in the refrigerator and in the net taking up less space and being able to more easily store. In particular, liquid dispensers are often shaped so as to have a larger footprint, but a significantly decreased height allowing them to sit on shelves more easily. Further, because liquid dispensers can be more rectangular and often do not need a pouring handle, they can more efficiently fill space.
Liquid dispensers, however, have the problem of being damaged by fluids within them. The liquid dispensers generally are hollow vessels which enclose the fluid and prevent it from escaping. They also will usually include an attached spigot or other dispensing device to allow the fluid to be dispensed in a controlled manner to a user. Fluid is generally added from above by removing the top panel of, or opening an access point in, the vessel and placing the fluid directly against the interior walls of the vessel and inside the hollow interior. A top or a cap may then be used to prevent introduction of outside substances into the fluid.
In this arrangement, the inside surfaces of the dispenser can become contaminated with particles of the fluid or items suspended in the fluid. An excellent example is when a powdered soft drink mix is dispensed from the vessel. Powdered soft drink mixes come in a variety of forms and under a variety of trade names but generally are designed to add concentrated flavoring and/or coloring to water to improve taste or appearance. Many also include concentrated vitamins, minerals or other enhancers to improve the nutrition from drinking the soft drink mix over drinking regular water. Many also include granulated sugar. These soft drink mixes are added to water where they dissolve or are suspended in the water.
Many vessels used to store liquids are constructed of plastics to decrease weight, decrease production cost, and make the vessels more rugged and survivable. When a soft drink mix (in solution) is placed against these materials, the vessel's surfaces can absorb or be coated by some of the powdered solution suspended in the water which adheres to the surface as opposed to remaining suspended in solution. Further, taste and odors from the soft drink mix can permeate the vessel. This “contamination” can cause problems to the vessel. For one, contamination can change the taste of other fluids dispensed from the vessel in an unpleasant fashion. For instance, a grape flavoring contaminating a vessel can be partially transferred to later added ice tea flavoring, creating an unpleasant combination. This can be particularly true with beverages having a particularly strong taste such as coffee. Sometimes, a strongly flavored beverage can so impregnate the walls that its scent or taste cannot be removed even with a thorough cleaning. This can prevent a vessel from being reused with other flavors of fluid, and can even require the vessel's destruction if it cannot be used anymore due to the flavor impregnation. Contamination can also lead to the introduction or growth of microorganisms which can make the vessel unsanitary for future use regardless of the impact on flavor. Still further, cleaning agents used to clean the vessel also can impart tastes and odors that can flavor a later dispensed liquid.
Additionally, because the fluid is placed directly within the hollow interior of the vessel, various impurities can also be introduced to the fluid. For instance, if a lid is not provided to the vessel, dust, other particulates, or microorganisms may be introduced into the fluid over time. Further, if the vessel remains empty and is then filled, dust or other particulates may have been introduced to the empty vessel which are then suspended in the fluid when it is added and may be dispensed.
Further, because the vessel must be “watertight” in order to prevent leakage of the fluid being dispensed, market distribution and storage of empty dispensers, or dispensers sold with fluid therein, will often take up significant space inefficiently, as such dispensers often cannot collapse and are not sized and shaped to pack efficiently for travel. Therefore, a user may often have wasted space taken up by the dispenser when it is not in use because the dispenser cannot be broken down or collapsed. Further, because it is generally a fairly costly device, users are reluctant to discard an unused dispenser unless they are certain they have no further need for it. Thus, there are numerous problems in the art with traditionally utilized refrigerator liquid storage vessels.
As noted previously, outside of the home environment, it is common for portable fluid storage devices and dispensers to be utilized in many different types of human activities. For example, fluid storage devices are often used to transport beverages, particularly for human consumption, to locations where other means of obtaining beverages would be impossible or, at least, inconvenient. Commonly such a container will be filled with fluid and taken along in instances such as when a person travels for recreation, including going to an undeveloped area to hike, to a park for a picnic, to the beach, or to participate in or observe an athletic event. Principally, the containers are used to carry fluid for drinking to decrease the danger of dehydration and heat exhaustion and related injury when outdoors, and also merely for comfort when one becomes thirsty. Quite often the fluid storage device is designed to embody thermal insulating properties for maintaining the temperature of the fluid significantly above or below the ambient temperature.
In addition to personal uses such as those mentioned above, portable insulating fluid containers may have public uses. They may be used to sanitarily dispense beverages in food service establishments or the like, and therefore regularly are seen in concession stands, buffet lines, or similar types of locations where storage and dispensing of prepared drinks is desirable but where more permanent structures are not usable. Such containers are regularly filled with water and other fluids or drinks such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit juices, or the like. Further, portable insulating fluid containers are not limited to carrying beverages but may also be used to transport non-potable fluids.
The portable insulating fluid containers described herein for transportable use include those generally referred to by use of the terms “water cooler” or simply “cooler,” “water jug,” and “Thermos™.” For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “portable water cooler” is chosen since it is fairly descriptive of the device being discussed. A portable water cooler will generally be transportable by one or more persons without the assistance of machines, although some embodiments will require a machine to lift or carry (for instance the water cooler may be mounted on a large trailer). A portable water cooler will generally not be a system designed for purposeful use only in a single location, but a portable water cooler may be “built in” and adapted for single-location use. A portable water cooler generally serves as a storage container for the fluid there inside. That is, the fluid generally is not placed in the cooler from an external storage tank for the purpose of cooling or heating prior to dispensing. Also, a portable water cooler generally includes an integral spigot or valve for the dispensing of the liquid contained therein to a drinking container such as a cup or directly to a user's mouth. It is generally not intended that the fluid in the portable water cooler be dispensed to a storage reservoir from which it is then dispensed. The water cooler is generally constructed, in part, of an insulative material, or has a built-in cooling or heating system to control the temperature of its contents. Rubbermaid Corporation makes a variety of such portable water coolers. Devices such as the military's “water buffaloes” also fall within the scope of devices herein termed portable water coolers. A majority of portable water coolers used for fluid transport and dispensing are constructed with materials such as stainless steel, glass, and plastics, or some combination thereof, that give the portable water coolers a rigid form.
While there are many types of portable water coolers available in the market, many suffer from similar problems. A portable water cooler is generally in the shape of a hollow upright box or cylinder which encloses the fluid and prevents it from escaping the container. Fluid is generally added from above by removing the top panel of, or opening an access point in, the cooler and placing the fluid directly against the interior walls of the cooler inside the hollow interior. The lid or a cap is then replaced. In some portable water coolers, the lid seals the fluid inside the container, while in others the lid may partially seal the container but the fluid can knock the lid loose and escape if the container is tipped from upright. Fluid is dispensed through the use of a spigot or valve often located towards the bottom of the fluid holding area of the cooler. The spigot is generally a manually operated structure having a moveable valve. The valve is placed in a hole which extends through the outer structure of the portable water cooler connecting the hollow interior to the external world. When the valve is opened, the weight of the fluid in the portable water cooler forces fluid at the bottom of the cooler through the hole, where it is generally dispensed in a stream to a user generally holding a smaller beverage container thereunder.
Alternatively, smaller water coolers may include the spigot or valve in a different arrangement to allow a user to directly drink from the portable water cooler. These may include straws, spigots, or even just holes where fluid is allowed to flow from the hollow interior of the portable water cooler to the user. Some of these devices require the user to open them prior to drinking (generally to prevent spills), while others may place the hole on the top of the container so that the user has to tip the portable water cooler (generally into their mouth) to get the fluid out. In almost all cases, the fluid is dispensed under the force of gravity by simply allowing the fluid to pass through a hole in the outer structure of the portable water cooler when the fluid is being dispensed. The walls, base, and lid of the cooler are generally constructed of insulative materials (often various foamed resins) to provide that the temperature of the enclosed fluid is better maintained over time when that temperature is different from the ambient temperature.
While these portable water coolers have many beneficial uses, they also have clear disadvantages, including susceptibility to contamination from various sources. For instance, while the portable water cooler is being filled, dust or particulates may be introduced into the fluid as the fluid is added to the cooler. Further, in many coolers, the lid is not necessarily placed on the cooler when it is in use. If the cooler is undergoing particularly heavy use, the lid may be left off to allow rapid refilling. This can allow the introduction of foreign matter. Because the fluid is in direct contact with the sides of the portable water cooler, if the cooler is not regularly cleaned (which may not always be possible), buildup of contaminants can result in the growth of biofilms or other microorganisms which could potentially be toxic to those drinking the fluid.
When the coolers are used to dispense fluids, the inside surfaces of the cooler can become contaminated with particles of the fluid or items suspended in the fluid. An example of such contamination of the container occurs when a dissolved powdered soft drink mix is held within the container. Powdered soft drink mixes come in a variety of forms and under a variety of trade names but generally are designed to add concentrated flavoring and/or coloring to water to improve taste or appearance. Many soft drink mixes also include concentrated vitamins, minerals or other enhancers to improve the nutritional content of the soft drink mix as compared with plain water. Many soft drink mixes also include granulated sugar to improve taste. These soft drink mixes are added to water in which they dissolve or are suspended. When a soft drink and water mixture is placed in contact with the interior walls of the container these wall surfaces can adsorb fluid components. Due to such interaction between the fluid and the container or due to other causes, tastes and odors from the soft drink mix can permeate the fluid container. This contamination can cause a significant negative impact on the taste of beverages later dispensed from the container. In a specific instance a grape flavoring contaminating the portable fluid container can be partially transferred to later added ice tea, creating an unpleasant grape-tea combination.
Such container contamination can be particularly problematic when caused by beverages having strong tastes and odors such as coffee. Sometimes, a strongly flavored beverage can so impregnate the container walls, that its scent or taste cannot be removed even with a thorough cleaning. This can prevent a portable fluid container from being reused with other flavors of fluids, and can even require the container's destruction if the flavor interference is too great for a particular use. Absorption or other causes of contamination can also make the container unsanitary for future use regardless of flavor.
Taken the above together, similar to the storage vessels used in refrigerators, there are numerous problems known to those of skill in the art which are associated with portable water coolers.
As touched upon earlier, the office cooler—along with the refrigeration storage vessel and the portable water cooler—is a common liquid transportation vessel in modern society. The conventional domestic fluid dispensers used for this purpose are usually free standing devices which dispense sterilized or mineral water from large rigid water bottles. The rigid water bottles have a large body portion and a narrow neck portion having a mouth opening, and are coupled to the water dispenser by inverting the bottle and positioning the mouth of the bottle in the chamber of the water dispenser. Air, introduced into the water bottle through the mouth, allows water to be dispensed from the inverted bottle until the water level in the chamber reaches the mouth of the bottle. Since the water bottle is rigid, once the water level in the chamber reaches the mouth of the bottle no more air can enter the bottle, so water remaining in the inverted bottle is retained in the bottle due to the difference between the air pressure external to the inverted bottle and the air pressure inside the bottle. Water is then dispensed from the chamber through a conduit attached to a valve at the opposite end from the chamber. When the level of water in the chamber falls below the mouth of the water bottle, air enters the water bottle, allowing water to flow from the bottle until the water level in the chamber again reaches the mouth of the bottle.
Although conventional domestic water dispensers are widely used, they are deficient in a number of respects. First, water bottles used in the conventional domestic water dispenser usually contain a large quantity of sterilized water, typically on the order of about 5 gallons. Due to the weight and size of a bottle holding that amount of water, it is often difficult to invert and properly locate the mouth of the bottle in the chamber without spilling a quantity of the water.
Second, to prevent water from continuously flowing from the water bottle while the water bottle is inverted, the water bottles used with such water dispensers are fabricated from a thick, rigid, plastic material that can hold a vacuum without collapsing. Due to their cost, the water bottles are usually resterilized and reused after an initial use. As a result, the cost of shipping the empty water bottle back to the supplier for sterilization and reuse are adsorbed by the consumer through increased water costs.
Third, in order for the mouth of the water bottle to be positioned in the chamber of the cooler, the water bottles must have a neck, as described above. The presence of the neck, however, increases the difficulty in sterilizing the water bottles, since the neck may limit the ability of the sterilizing agents to reach all the interior parts of the bottle, even when large quantities of sterilizing agents are used. While the use of heat sterilization may overcome this problem to some extent, it is generally not possible to use heat sterilization on plastic bottles. Although sterilization using ultraviolet light is possible, ultraviolet light sterilization may lead to an incomplete result. Particularly troublesome, once the bottle is inverted into the fluid dispenser, the outside of the neck of the bottle contacts the fluid, and it is very difficult to maintain sterility on this area of the bottle.
Fourth, with the necessity of sterilizing the water bottles after each use, over time the rigid plastic water bottles may develop cracks or holes. If such failures occur while the water bottle is inverted in the water dispenser, air will enter the water bottle and allow water to flow uncontrollably from the mouth of the water bottle, allowing the chamber to eventually overflow. This water overflow can expose the purchaser's premises to the risk of water damage.
In addition to an application in modern society as refrigerator coolers, portable water coolers and domestic, or “office,” coolers, liquid transportation vessels also have utility in the developing world in areas where there is not a reliable potable water infrastructure. Further, in addition to the developing world and other areas where access to potable water and sanitation are significant issues, liquid transportation and storage vessels are also utilized, in both the developing and the westernized world, during health scares and in the wake of natural disasters. The liquid transportation vessels utilized in these situations are collectively referred to as “emergency” or “disaster” water transportation devices.
To combat the problems caused by lack of access to potable water, lack of resources and contamination, both in developing countries without adequate infrastructures and in westernized countries during health scares and in the wake of natural disasters, many international aid organizations and emergency relief services have developed water storage containers and sanitation systems to supply at-risk populations with sanitized water.
Present devices include emergency water filters for the removal of biological pathogens from the water, water drums (large containers, 30 to 50 gallons, made of polyethylene food grade plastic used to transport water to at-risk areas), emergency water rations in foil pouches, germicidal treatment tablets for emergency disinfection of drinking water, water bladders for use in a bathtub, transportable plastic water jugs and inflatable water bags.
The main problems with the present devices used to supply potable water to emergency disaster areas and developing countries in need of sanitary water are four-fold: high cost, difficulty in transporting, sanitation, and ease of use.
Emergency water filtration systems and germicidal tablets that sanitize a large enough quantity of water for a large population can be expensive. Further, use can be complicated and failure to use such systems properly can result in re-contamination of water supplies. Accordingly, such systems are often not economically or practically reasonable.
Water drums and plastic water jugs can be expensive, hard to transport and susceptible to contamination during use. These containers are usually made of polyethylene food grade plastic, and are in a 30 to 50 gallon size. Transport of such containers to the at-risk area is usually by truck or airline freighter. Once filled, the containers are heavy and burdensome to load and transport. The container's rigid shape limits the number of containers that can be transported at one time. Further, the added weight of the plastic container results in a higher price of transport, i.e., more fuel is needed to get the containers to their desired location. Further, in use, the lid of the drum is opened to allow access to the water inside, or a twist cap/opening system can be utilized. The wide opening of such access systems can lead to a contamination of the water supply in the drum or plastic container as it is utilized by a number of different people in an emergency situation.
Further, as the wide opening is open to the outside ambient air, the water supply housed in the jug or drum is further susceptible to contamination by airborne particulate.
Another major problem with plastic bottles and drums is that they must be washed and sanitized between every use. This adds to the cost of such water storage systems and is a particular problem in the developing world where water is already scarce, and the drums and jugs must be re-transported to a washing station for further sanitation after use.
The present emergency water rations in foil pouches and inflatable water bags, while easier to transport and lower in cost, have sanitation and ease of use concerns. Some bags simply need to be “cut open” to access the water. Such designs are easily contaminable and not easily stored after opening. In other bagged systems that use a pump, the initial puncturing of the bag can be difficult, often resulting in holes in both sides of the bag or contamination of the water source from repeated puncturing attempts. In addition, after the initial puncturing, these devices can leak around the opening to the dispensing device and the plastic bag. Further, the foil bags are not usually recyclable, adding to waste concerns in disaster and developing areas. Lastly, although some inflatable water bags may be reused, they must be washed and sanitized between each use, raising the same problems of cost and transport that were previously mentioned when discussing sanitation of the plastic bottles and drums between use.
As illustrated in these brief descriptions of liquid transportation and storage vessels in four main areas—refrigeration coolers, portable water coolers, domestic “office” coolers, and fluid transportation systems utilized in emergency situations—there are several key problems with currently utilized fluid transportation and storage systems that are common, no matter the specific circumstances of use. Notably, the aforementioned fluid transportation and storage systems generally share five common problems: interior contamination from fluids; fluid contamination from outside sources; sanitation/sterilization; weight and size; and high cost of manufacture. The fluid dispensing system of the present disclosure, wherein a bagged fluid is dispensed via a ribbed spike, addresses and minimizes each of these problems commonly encountered in currently utilized liquid transportation and storage modalities in all areas of use.
To combat these problems, the refrigerator cooler, the portable water cooler, the domestic “office” coolers and the fluid transportation systems utilized in emergency situations can all be utilized with spiking bagged water systems, such as, but not limited to, those disclosed in U.S. patent App. Ser. No. 12/533,914, U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,749, U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,700, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,487, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. These spiked bagged water systems all utilize bagged water and a spiking mechanism to access the bagged water in a dispensable, sanitary format.
Generally, in these systems, the bag of water is forced onto a hollow shaft that has a spiking device either by gravity or by additional human force. This force causes the spiking device to break through the outer wall of the bag, allowing the spiking device access to the fluid housed therein. Then the fluid house in the bag flows into the hollow spiking device via gravity or a mechanical force, and is dispensed therefrom. The ribbed spiked disclosed herein is a type of spiking mechanism for use in these bagged water systems that allows for greater stability and security.